Prov 18-21
PROVERBS 18
1 ¶ Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh [and] intermeddleth with all wisdom.
2 ¶ A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.
3 ¶ When the wicked cometh, [then] cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach.
4 ¶ The words of a man's mouth [are as] deep waters, [and] the wellspring of wisdom [as] a flowing brook.
5 ¶ [It is] not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.
6 ¶ A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.
7 A fool's mouth [is] his destruction, and his lips [are] the snare of his soul.
8 ¶ The words of a talebearer [are] as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
9 ¶ He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.
10 ¶ The name of the LORD [is] a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
11 ¶ The rich man's wealth [is] his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.
12 ¶ Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour [is] humility.
13 ¶ He that answereth a matter before he heareth [it], it [is] folly and shame unto him.
14 ¶ The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?
15 ¶ The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
16 ¶ A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.
17 ¶ [He that is] first in his own cause [seemeth] just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.
18 ¶ The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty.
19 ¶ A brother offended [is harder to be won] than a strong city: and [their] contentions [are] like the bars of a castle.
20 ¶ A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; [and] with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.
21 ¶ Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
22 ¶ [Whoso] findeth a wife findeth a good [thing], and obtaineth favour of the LORD.
23 ¶ The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.
24 ¶ A man [that hath] friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend [that] sticketh closer than a brother.
PROVERBS 19
1 ¶ Better [is] the poor that walketh in his integrity, than [he that is] perverse in his lips, and is a fool.
2 ¶ Also, [that] the soul [be] without knowledge, [it is] not good; and he that hasteth with [his] feet sinneth.
3 ¶ The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the LORD.
4 ¶ Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour.
5 ¶ A false witness shall not be unpunished, and [he that] speaketh lies shall not escape.
6 ¶ Many will intreat the favour of the prince: and every man [is] a friend to him that giveth gifts.
7 All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how much more do his friends go far from him? he pursueth [them with] words, [yet] they [are] wanting [to him].
8 ¶ He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul: he that keepeth understanding shall find good.
9 ¶ A false witness shall not be unpunished, and [he that] speaketh lies shall perish.
10 ¶ Delight is not seemly for a fool; much less for a servant to have rule over princes.
11 ¶ The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and [it is] his glory to pass over a transgression.
12 ¶ The king's wrath [is] as the roaring of a lion; but his favour [is] as dew upon the grass.
13 ¶ A foolish son [is] the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wife [are] a continual dropping.
14 ¶ House and riches [are] the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife [is] from the LORD.
15 ¶ Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.
16 ¶ He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; [but] he that despiseth his ways shall die.
17 ¶ He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.
18 ¶ Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.
19 ¶ A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: for if thou deliver [him], yet thou must do it again.
20 ¶ Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.
21 ¶ [There are] many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.
22 ¶ The desire of a man [is] his kindness: and a poor man [is] better than a liar.
23 ¶ The fear of the LORD [tendeth] to life: and [he that hath it] shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.
24 ¶ A slothful [man] hideth his hand in [his] bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.
25 ¶ Smite a scorner, and the simple will beware: and reprove one that hath understanding, [and] he will understand knowledge.
26 ¶ He that wasteth [his] father, [and] chaseth away [his] mother, [is] a son that causeth shame, and bringeth reproach.
27 ¶ Cease, my son, to hear the instruction [that causeth] to err from the words of knowledge.
28 ¶ An ungodly witness scorneth judgment: and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity.
29 ¶ Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of fools.
PROVERBS 20
1 ¶ Wine [is] a mocker, strong drink [is] raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
2 ¶ The fear of a king [is] as the roaring of a lion: [whoso] provoketh him to anger sinneth [against] his own soul.
3 ¶ [It is] an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
4 ¶ The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; [therefore] shall he beg in harvest, and [have] nothing.
5 ¶ Counsel in the heart of man [is like] deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6 ¶ Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
7 ¶ The just [man] walketh in his integrity: his children [are] blessed after him.
8 ¶ A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
9 ¶ Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
10 ¶ Divers weights, [and] divers measures, both of them [are] alike abomination to the LORD.
11 ¶ Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work [be] pure, and whether [it be] right.
12 ¶ The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.
13 ¶ Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, [and] thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
14 ¶ [It is] naught, [it is] naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
15 ¶ There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge [are] a precious jewel.
16 ¶ Take his garment that is surety [for] a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
17 ¶ Bread of deceit [is] sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
18 ¶ [Every] purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
19 ¶ He that goeth about [as] a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
20 ¶ Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
21 ¶ An inheritance [may be] gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
22 ¶ Say not thou, I will recompense evil; [but] wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.
23 ¶ Divers weights [are] an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance [is] not good.
24 ¶ Man's goings [are] of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?
25 ¶ [It is] a snare to the man [who] devoureth [that which is] holy, and after vows to make enquiry.
26 ¶ A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
27 ¶ The spirit of man [is] the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
28 ¶ Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.
29 ¶ The glory of young men [is] their strength: and the beauty of old men [is] the gray head.
30 ¶ The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so [do] stripes the inward parts of the belly.
PROVERBS 21
1 ¶ The king's heart [is] in the hand of the LORD, [as] the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.
2 ¶ Every way of a man [is] right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.
3 ¶ To do justice and judgment [is] more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
4 ¶ An high look, and a proud heart, [and] the plowing of the wicked, [is] sin.
5 ¶ The thoughts of the diligent [tend] only to plenteousness; but of every one [that is] hasty only to want.
6 ¶ The getting of treasures by a lying tongue [is] a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.
7 ¶ The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment.
8 ¶ The way of man [is] froward and strange: but [as for] the pure, his work [is] right.
9 ¶ [It is] better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.
10 ¶ The soul of the wicked desireth evil: his neighbour findeth no favour in his eyes.
11 ¶ When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise: and when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge.
12 ¶ The righteous [man] wisely considereth the house of the wicked: [but God] overthroweth the wicked for [their] wickedness.
13 ¶ Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.
14 ¶ A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath.
15 ¶ [It is] joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction [shall be] to the workers of iniquity.
16 ¶ The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.
17 ¶ He that loveth pleasure [shall be] a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.
18 ¶ The wicked [shall be] a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright.
19 ¶ [It is] better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.
20 ¶ [There is] treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.
21 ¶ He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.
22 ¶ A wise [man] scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof.
23 ¶ Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.
24 ¶ Proud [and] haughty scorner [is] his name, who dealeth in proud wrath.
25 ¶ The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.
26 He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not.
27 ¶ The sacrifice of the wicked [is] abomination: how much more, [when] he bringeth it with a wicked mind?
28 ¶ A false witness shall perish: but the man that heareth speaketh constantly.
29 ¶ A wicked man hardeneth his face: but [as for] the upright, he directeth his way.
30 ¶ [There is] no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD.
31 The horse [is] prepared against the day of battle: but safety [is] of the LORD.
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